Miyetti Allah slams Gowon over call for arrest of group's leaders
- Miyetti Allah coordinator Gololo says the group's leaders cannot be arrested because they are not criminals
- He says Gowon's words were unbecoming of an elder statesman of his stature
- He notes further that Gowon's arguments were for only the Middle Belt and not for other parts of the country were many people have also lost their lives
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria has said that its leaders cannot be arrested by the Nigeria Police Force because they are not criminals.
Punch reports that the national coordinator of the group in Benue state Garus Gololo made this declaration while reacting to the call for the arrest and interrogation of its leadership by former military head of state Yakubu Gowon over killings by suspected herdsmen.
Gololo described the call by the ex-Nigerian leader as uncalled for and unbefitting of an elder statesman, noting that Gowon spoke only for the people of the Middle Belt even though the killings were more widespread.
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Gololo said: “I don’t understand what Gowon meant because it is only criminals that the police can invite. If that is the case, who should be questioned in Zamfara, Borno, Rivers and Lagos where there have also been killings?
“Just yesterday, four people were killed in Zamfara, who should the police invite? To me, it is very unfortunate for a former Head of State to have made such inciting comments.
“What about the people who blocked roads in Jos and killed people; who have questioned them? And what about those people who were burnt to ashes and removed from vehicles in the Middle Belt, who have questioned those that killed them? Our people were burnt in vehicles at Daudu area in Benue State, who is to be questioned?
“As far as I’m concerned, we are cattle breeders, we are peace lovers, we support peace and we will continue to preach peace. Honestly, I’m not happy with his comments and I’m disappointed.
“No Miyetti Allah member would honour any invitation from the police in respect of any killings. Invitation? What for?
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“They would call you just because you are leading an organisation and something happened in any state; is that how things are done?
“We are a registered organisation and we don’t have any dealing with the police as far as I’m concerned because we have a very robust and cordial relationship with them. The police cannot invite us because of a request made by someone because we’re friends with the police.”
Legit.ng had reported that former military head of state Yakubu Gowon expressed disappointment over the the spate of killings and general security situation in the country.
He therefore called on the security agencies to question the leadership of Miyetti Allah.
Gowon said this on Saturday, July 21, at the Government House, Makurdi when he visited Governor Samuel Ortom to commiserate with him, the government and people of the state on the killings in Benue state.
The former Nigerian leader said he was out of the country when 2 priests and 17 worshipers were killed in a church in the state during morning mass expressed the condolences of his group, “Nigeria Prays” to the government and people of the state.
Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue State - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
